First up, NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow

Director Volkow frequently opens the meeting with an overview of NIDA priorities, using figures from recently published papers to illustrate the thinking underlying the priorities. She also usually ties these interests to their existing or recent RFAs. It is a GoodIdea to pay attention to the Director and what she has to say about NIDA priorities. If you plan to get NIDA funding, anyway.

NIH Roadmap 1.5, two key projects epigenetics (NIDA, NIEHS and NIDCD are the lead institutes)

Science of Behavioral Change- behavioral interventions for disease prevention and management (a tiny budget as far as Roadmap initiatives go but important for the symbolism)

R01 Transformative Research that can shift paradigms. "If you can remember one thing from this week..."

Example of Haney et al 2008 paper on Δ9-THC and Lofexidine in cannabis relapse. Δ9-THC (the agonist) not ameliorative by itself but in is effective in combination with the α2-adrenergic agonist lofexidine. [Ed- An era of agonist+ therapy?]

Technology for treatment

Web based technology for prefention, treatment and education (hey, do blogs count???)

Journalism award to William C. Moyers

Mr. Moyers is an engaging speaker. He offered a personal vignette of his last (?) binge; detailed in his book, Broken
Mr. Moyers is an alcoholic and substance abuser who is in recovery; he now works for the Hazeldon Foundation and promotes public understanding of drug addiction.
Mr. Moyers' emphasized his privileged background in terms of education, morals, religious tradition, wealth, a loving and supportive family in making his essential point that "addiction does not discriminate". He further emphasized the good fortune he enjoyed in having that "one last chance" extended to him, as well as the opportunity for first class inpatient treatment; he argued that "recovery should not discriminate either".
Mr. Moyers outlined the political opportunity afforded by the upcoming change in the White House and the likely increased focus on significant changes to our national approach to health care. He sees this as a critical opportunity to advance his goal of "parity", which is a goal of getting the health care systems to treat drug addiction as any other health insurance covered disease.

William Dewey on Billy Martin

(posthumous Nathan B. Eddy Awardee; Professor Martin passed away on June 6, 2008)
Professor Dewey summarized the major contributions of Billy Martin to the understanding of cannabinoid function and pharmacology.

elucidated sites of action for effects of cannabinoids on pain, memory, catalepsy...

Endocannabinoid behavioral pharmacology; anandamide, 2-AG

Novel compounds, several patents

Report from CPDD's hired lobbyist

This is always a good presentation to attend because he re-emphasizes the budget numbers in terms of the real dollars adjusted for an inflation index specific to biomedical research. [Hint: a flat budget is a real dollar reduction]
One of the more intriguing graphs shown was the historical funding levels of the NIH with a function fit to the pre-doubling era and extended forward. The numbers were represented in inflation adjusted dollars if I have it right. What was clearly shown is that the past 5 years of relatively flat budgets have essentially erased the gains of the doubling period, putting the NIH right back on the line fit to the pre-doubling trends. (The data were, IIRC, from a NEJM article that I'm trying to track down)